Karnival playing cards are the main series of decks by Big Blind Media (BBM) – the magic media company from UK dedicated to producing instructional DVD’s and playing cards. This is one of decks from the series – Bicycle Karnival Earthtone9 Deck. It was printed by USPCC in 2012.
The Deck: 52 playing cards + 2 Jokers + 1 information card +1 double backer. Poker size. Bicycle stock with Air Flow Finish. Pictures of the tuck case are clickable:
The deck was created to celebrate the career of UK post-metal band Earthtone9 and its first new album for over 10 years – “IV”. The deck’s incredible artwork was directly inspired by the band’s new album design. The incredible artwork for this deck (along with the accompanying album artwork for the forthcoming earthtone9 album) was handled by renowned designer Sam Hayles (DOSE Productions).
Owen “Oz” Packard is the founder of Big Blind Media and the Earthtone9’s guitarist.
The Bicycle Karnival Earthtone9 playing cards represent the first Karnival Deck to be printed with an all-over, edge to edge black design. The faces of all the cards have been redesigned to ensure that the value pips really ‘pop’ from the card. BBM wanted the spades and clubs to remain BLACK and still be clear and readable on the slick black stock.
Bicycle Karnival Earthtone9 – Standard Bicycle
All aces are unique and with additional design elements.
Aces
Earthtone9’s court cards are redesigned Bicycle standard court cards. Sam made them to fit the theme.
Bicycle Karnival Earthtone9 The King of Spades – Standard Bicycle The King of Spades
Kings
Queens
Jacks
Jokers
Information Card + Double Backer
Backs (clickable)
Find the discount code on BBM’s playing cards
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Other decks by Big Blind Media (the discount code here):
PLAYING CARDS + ART = COLLECTING 
Apichet
18.02.2015 at 21:15
Hi again, I neglected to answer your trick question. Sorry about that considering it is quite a good one! Will any playing card collector be really happy to see 1000 amazing limited playing card projects on Kickstarter and on pages of on-line shops at once?
My answer is a definite yes just because you used the word “amazing”. If this assumption is possible in which one thousand decks all happen to be brilliantly created at the same time and truly satisfying to everyone’s tastes, it would be like a dream come true. If you consider the entire world wide web to be a global market, then we already are given a choice of a more than a thousand amazing limited decks “all at once” 😉
Apichet
15.02.2015 at 19:17
Wow, I am completely full of gratitude for this level of expert insight! I enjoyed that explanation thoroughly. Your site is full of excellently taken photos and I find them absolutely fascinating. That Karnival Earthtone9 cards look brilliant, I could imagine what a game of Poker using these cards would feel like! It would be amazing. You are completely right that the mass market is the poker players and somehow I suspect that they may also be interested in deviously marked cards 😉 Just kidding, I’m sure most of us have the morals and courtesy to play fair.
The magicians market is certainly a growing one, and I’m sure the Phoenix and Mandolin Bicycle brands are taking charge of the Gaff deck markets.
How about a deck full of 52 Joker reveals using the famous Bicycle Joker design, I’ve read on the magic forums that they really appreciate custom decks with a Joker reveal. Would a Bicycle deck with each Joker carrying a reveal of each of the 52 cards be successful? In a deck of cards there are 56 total, 52 cards are the Joker reveals while the other four should also be gaffed. One card is joker carrying a reveal of two cards, one card is a double face Joker, one card is a Joker with a custom color scheme, and the last card is a double face Joker with one side carrying normal color scheme and other side carrying the custom color scheme.
I think that with the exponential development of hi-tech industrialization, it is possible in the future that the Bicycle cards could be marked with ink that is invisible to human eye but can easily be detected using special contact lens. The ink is applied on the backs of the cards and only people wearing the specially-made contact lens can see the markings. I am still waiting for a new Bicycle deck with glow in the dark fluorescent pips and court cards
Total appreciation for this website, what an epic win! Thank you once again!
Apichet
03.02.2015 at 21:13
This is an awesome site showing some of the coolest cards ever! Thank you Playing Card Collector! I always wondered why not all of the really successful custom deck creators simply increase their income by creating double facers using their custom pips and court cards. Magicians who are in love with this deck would jump upon the chance to purchase them I’m sure! Double face cards can also be a collector’s item. In my humble opinion anyone who purchased the original decks and love them would want these as well. There are also other income opportunities such as the Invisible decks, marked decks etc. using the successful custom backs and faces. I only saw certain brands doing this such as Cardshark’s Phoenix decks and the Ellusionist with their Bicycle Ghost Decks, Bicycle Black Tigers, Shadow Masters etc. Niche market untapped?
Collector
04.02.2015 at 01:34
Welcome on my blog, Apichet.
Playing cards have different target audience. Three main of them are: a) playing card players (a h-u-u-u-u-u-ge one); b) magicians and cardists (a growing one, but still a modest group in comparison with playing card players); c) playing card collectors (the smallest one in comparison with previous two groups).
Will poker players be interested in marked decks? In invisible ones?
Key features of these decks aren’t determinative for playing card collectors, but they can be interesting for the second named group of playing card lovers.
On the other hand the second group doesn’t like serious customization of playing cards (this is an approved and double-checked fact). They use them as their instrument. People distrust customized playing cards, because unusual pictures make them think that the cards are marked, created for magic and have some hidden elements, etc. Any trick with a standard deck charms people more than the same one with some UNusual deck.
Tastes differ, actually. And it’s quite hard to predict tastes of a crowd. Playing card projects on Kickstarter prove it each year. Don’t overrate this market niche 🙂
Also I have some trick question for you. Will any playing card collector be really happy to see 1000 amazing limited playing card projects on Kickstarter and on pages of on-line shops at once? I suspect Carlos Slim and Bill Gates won’t even start to collect playing cards in this case. 🙂